Several varieties of input devices exist for performing operations in portable electronic devices. Some examples of input devices include buttons, switches, keyboards, mice, trackballs, touch pads, joy sticks, touch screens and the like. Some examples of portable electronic devices include media players, remote controls, personal digital assistants (PDAs), cellular phones, etc.
A user can cause an operation to be performed in a portable electronic device by applying an input to an input device. In one example, a user can move a cursor displayed on a display screen of the portable electronic device by touching an input device in a particular motion. In another example, a user can select an item displayed on the display screen by pressing an input device in a particular location.
Designing input devices for portable devices presents some unique problems. For example, there is typically a push to increase the ability of portable devices and, thus, the number of functions that the input arrangements are able to perform. A competing concern is that there is also pressure to make portable computing devices smaller, and thus, more portable. However, as the size of these devices decreases, the amount of space in within the portable device to locate input devices also decreases.
Accordingly, a need exists for compact input devices that can be located within the limited space of a portable device.